Parliament on Wednesday (6 July), unanimously adopted the “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2022”.
The object of the Bill is to provide for proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian Family Values proscribe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) and related activities.
The bill now moves to the consideration stage; after which it will go through the third reading before it is passed into law.
During the second laying of the Bill, when Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin put the question as to which of the 275 Members of Parliament (MPs) was against the adoption of the Bill, the House unanimously voted for its adoption.
The bi-partisan Private Members ‘Bill was introduced by eight Members of Parliament (MPs) led by Samuel Nartey George, National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Ningo-Prampram.
The rest are Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, NDC MP for Ho West; Della Adjoa Sowah, NDC MP for Kpando and Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Assin South.
The rest are Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, NDC MP for Tamale North, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, NDC MP for Dadekotopon; Madam Helen Adjoa Ntoso, NDC MP for Kete Krachi and Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor, NDC MP for South Dayi.
Contributing to the debate on the Motion, George, the lead sponsor of the bill said: “The danger of homosexuality is grave, persons who are homosexuals or transgender from statistics from the CDS have at least six times higher rate of obesity, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts than heterosexual people.”
“This has a consequence on our health bill as a country and public health, and we cannot turn a blind eye to this.”
Bernard Ahiafor, NDC MP for Akatsi South, said the passing of the Bill on the Promotion of Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values will not violate any international treaty.
Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, the Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, and NPP MP for Asante Akim Central, said the Committee noted that majority of Ghanaians were in favour of the passage of the Bill; adding that however, there were significant human rights concerns which were worthy of consideration.
He said in pursuant to Article 12(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, all organs of state, including the Executive, Judiciary and the Legislature had a constitutional duty to respect and uphold the fundamental human rights enshrined under the 1992 Constitution.
Cletus Avoka, NDC MP for Zebilla, commended the sponsors of the bill for their efforts in getting it passed into law.
He said when the Bill becomes a law, its implementation would have some financial implications and therefore, he appealed to the president to adopt the bill and sponsor its passage.
Andrew Asiama Amoako, Second Deputy Speaker and NPP for Fomena, urged the House to unite to ensure the passage of the bill.
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